Abo Blood Group, Atherothrombotic Comorbidities, and COVID-19: A Case-Control Study of their Association in the Mexican Population

Background

COVID-19 has been associated with negative results in patients with A blood group and with a better evolution in O blood group individuals.

Aim

Because the evidence regarding ABO blood groups and COVID was empirically not that clear in our country, we tested the association regarding COVID-19 and blood groups.

Material and Methods

Adult patients were enrolled in this prospective, case-control, observational multicenter study. Patients with a confirmed diagnosis of COVID-19 were assigned to one of three groups based on the clinical presentation of the infection. Age, gender, ABO and Rh blood groups, body mass index, history of diabetes mellitus or high blood pressure, and smoking were recorded directly or from their clinical charts. ABO blood group was obtained from 5,000 blood donors (50% each gender). Atherothrombotic variables were compared with a nation-wide data collection.

Results

A total of 2,416 patients with COVID-19 were included (women:39.6%; men:60.4%). There were no significant differences between cases and controls in terms of age. O blood group was the most frequently found in healthy donors and COVID-19 patients, but this blood group was significantly higher in COVID-19 patients vs. healthy donors. ABO blood group was not associated with the final health status in COVID-19 patients. Obesity, diabetes mellitus, hypertension and smoking were significantly more frequent among COVID-19 patients.

Conclusion

The proposed protective effect of the O blood group in COVID-19 patients could not be reproduced in the Mexican population while some atherothrombotic risk factors had a significant effect on the clinical evolution.

[National guidelines of diagnosis and treatment of the non-Hodgkin lymphoma]

Non-Hodgkin lymphoma comprises a heterogeneous group of haematological malignancies, classified according to their clinic, anatomic-pathological features and, lately, to their molecular biomarkers. Despite the therapeutic advances, nearly half of the patients will die because of this disease. The new diagnostic tools have been the cornerstone to design recent therapy targets, which must be included in the current treatment guidelines of this sort of neoplasms by means of clinical trials and evidence-based medicine. In the face of poor diagnoses devices in most of the Mexican hospitals, we recommend the present diagnose stratification, and treatment guidelines for non-Hodgkin lymphoma, based on evidence. They include the latest and most innovative therapeutic approaches, as well as specific recommendations for hospitals with limited framework and therapy resources.

Drug-induced agranulocytosis treated with granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor

Drug induced agranulocytosis (DIA) is a potentially lethal disorder characterized by selective neutropenia. Granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) has been utilized for its treatment. We report four cases of DIA treated with GM-CSF at the dose of 5 micrograms/kg/day. The patients presented infectious diseases at diagnosis. Median days to obtain 1 x 10(9)/L neutrophils and a normal neutrophil count (NNC), were 7(5-9) and 7.5 (6-10) days, respectively. The infectious disease at diagnosis improved and all patients are alive at the moment of this report. No other adverse effects than thrombocytosis (two cases) and thrombocytopenia (one case) were observed. We consider that GM-CSF could be a safe and effective alternative in the treatment of DIA.